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REPORT 


ON THE 

LOCATION AND SURVEY 


OF THE 


POTOMAC AND ANNAPOLIS CANAL 

BY 

GEORGE W. HUGHES, 

r » 

U. S. CIVIL ENGINEER; 

TO THE 

GOVERNOR OF MARYLAND. 



ANNAPOLIS! 

WILLIAM m’nEIR, PRINTE8U 


1837 . 


•• ** 






•/£ 6 .2 <T 

- 7 ^ 7 h 





SIR— 


WASHINGTON CITY, D. C. 

Februarij 20th, 1837. 


I have the honor to transmit to your Excellency, 
my report on the survey and location of the Potomac and 
Annapolis Canal, and the profile of the line of location: 
also, a general map of the country on a small scale, which 
was made for the Maryland Canal Company, but will 
serve, in the absence of the large maps (in course of pro¬ 
portion) to illustrate the report. 

It was my intention to have had the pleasure of report¬ 
ing in person to your Excellency, on the 13th inst. but 
Mi. Fisk has most likely communicated the cause of my 
neglect. I regret that, this morning 1 was disappointed 
in leaving the city, and have since ascertained that it will 
be extremely inconvenient to leave before the adjourn¬ 
ment of Congress, but I shall, immediately thereafter, pro¬ 
ceed without delay, to the city of Annapolis, or sooner, 
if your Excellency should desire it. 

The genera! map will not be ready for some time to 
come. The extent of country examined during the sum¬ 
mer, was so great (being 250 miles) with one party, that 
the office duties have in consequence, been very arduous. 
The young gentlemen under my orders, have been ex¬ 
ceedingly industrious, and I feel much indebted to them 
for being able, under all the circamstances of the case to 
report at this time 

I have the honor to be, 

Your Excellency’s 

Obedient servant, 

GEO. W. HUGHES, 



WASHINGTON CITY, D. C. 

February 13^/i, 1837. 

To his Excellency , 

Thomas W . Veazey: 

Governor of Maryland: 

SIR— 

In compliance with your request, to the Secretary 
of War, of the 4th of April, 1S3G, 1 was instructed by the 
Chief of the Topographical Bureau, on the 8th of the 
same month, to commence as soon as practicable, the sur¬ 
vey and location of the Potomac and Annapolis Canal un- 
der the direction of your Excellency; and I now have 
the honor to state that, that duty has been completed, and 
to submit the following report in relation to its perform- 
ance. 

The Potomac and Annapolis Canal is intended to be an 
extension of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, from George¬ 
town, D. C. to the harbor of Annapolis—thus rendering 
that great work, in fact, what its name implies—a canal 
destined to connect the Chesapeake Bay directly with the 
Ohio river, and ultimately with “the great father of wa¬ 
ters.” 

As soon as I could effect the necessary preliminary ar¬ 
rangements for the duty, after receiving my instructions, 
I carefully reconnoitered the country, between the Dis¬ 
trict of Columbia and Annapolis, through which, the con¬ 
templated work must pass; and was thus enabled to give 
instructions to a brigade of Engineers who were immedi¬ 
ately organized, and the actual survey was commenced on 
the first of May. 

As far as Bladonsburg, we had the advantage of pre¬ 
vious surveys executed under the direction of the late 
Dr. Howard, but beyond that place wc had no guide, and 


f) 


were compelled to feel our way by means of the instru¬ 
ments. Our first surveys were strictly experimental, 
having for their object to determine minuted the topo* 
graphy of the country—the shortest practicable lines— 
the lowest passes in the ridges which separate the Poto¬ 
mac, Patuxent, South and Severn rivers—the shortest 
feeders and all other facts necessary to the selection of a 
route and the formation of a project for its actual location, 
preparatory to letting it by contract for construction. Af¬ 
ter the requisite information had been obtained the loca¬ 
tion of the route selected was carefully traced. It must 
not however, be understood, that this line has been esta¬ 
blished with critical accuracy, for it can be regarded only 
as a near approximation to the proper line, and one that 
could requir e a good deal of rectification before the work 

should be actually commenced. 

A general map on a scale of 2 inches to a mile is in 
course of preparation, and will show, when completed, 
all the lines that have been run, and it will be seen, by 
referring to that map, that the examinations have been 
made, in the most thorough manner, leaving as little as 
possible to mere conjecture, and determining every thing 
as far as practicable by instrumental observations. Many 
of the lines may appear unnecessary, and although they 
were so, as it regarded a selection of the actual route by 
the Engineer, it was thought advisable to place the whole 
subject in such a position, that any individual might be 
able to form a correct opinion for himself, of the project, 
by having all the facts in the case spread out before him. 
Notwithstanding, our surveys have been thus minute, the 
State will be amply remunerated for the money expend¬ 
ed in the execution of them, even if the work should 
never be constructed, by the materials collected, which 
will be of essential service in the preparation of the new 
map of Maryland. We have left a great many permanent 
marks which the State Engineer can readily connect with 
his system of triangulation, and thus correct the slight, but 
unavoidable inaccuracy of the compass lines. 

Although the length of the canal route is only 41 l % 
miles, the whole distance traversed by actuul survey 
was two hundred and fifty miles, including the experiment¬ 
al lines and location. 


7 


A profile, with the cross sections, and a horizontal 
scale of four inches to a mile, and vertical of one inch to 
fifty feet, accompanies this report, and shows the minute 
features of the surface of the ground on which the loca¬ 
tion has been traced. 

The survey was commenced in Georgetown, with the 
view of carrying a line to Annapolis, over apparently the 
most favorable ground, which would serve as a base line 
for all the other experimental surveys, and after this should 
be completed, then to determine the lowest passes in the 
dividing ridges that must necessarily be crossed, and at 
what elevation water could be introduced on the summit 
level. Lines were also run for the purpose of ascertain¬ 
ing the feasibility of carrying a branch from the proposed 
Maryland canal, near Savage Factory, to Annapolis. Af¬ 
ter these surveys had been finished, the plan for the 
work and the selection of the general route were made 
from the data which they furnished. In the arrangement 
of these details, many considerations in relation to cost, 
capacity and expenditure of water, were presented and 
fully entertained. As the Potomac and Annapolis Canal 
was intended to be a continuation of the Chesapeake and 
Ohio Canal, it was deemed essential that the dimensions 
should conform as nearly as possible to those of that great 
work, in order that a transhipment might be avoided from 
one canal to the other, and the capacity of the work not 
materially diminished. 

It was ascertained that the highest ground on our route 
was 186 93 100 feet above tide, being 15 feet lower than 
the summit of the proposed work to Baltimore, but ow- 
nig to the slight fall in the main Pat uxent, on which we 
were compelled chiefly to rely for water, it became ne¬ 
cessary to propose a deep cut of 73 feet for the purpose 
of shortening the length of the feeders. 

The plan adopted in relation to the supply of water was 
to preserve as long as practicable, the level of the canal, 
in Georgetown, above the flight of locks, in order that 
the trunk of the canal might be kept fresh by drawing 
from the Potomac as far as that level could be maintain¬ 
ed: and then for the summit level and the locks west of 
ihe summit to depend on the main Patuxent with such of 
its tributaries, and the tributaries to the eastern branch of 


8 


» 

the Potomac as might be rendered available. Between 
the summit and Annapolis, there will be a descending 
lockage all the way and the deficiency of the water down 
from the summit for this portion of the line must be sup¬ 
plied from the Little Patuxent—its tributaries and the 
streams draining into South River, as will be explained 
hereafter. 

As the past year was unusually rainy, affording at no sea¬ 
son any thing like an approximation to the average mini¬ 
mum amount that falls in a series of years,it was not thought 
advisable to guage the streams which might, under ex¬ 
isting circumstances, lead to erroneous conclusions; and 
that it, therefore, would be much safer to trust to Dr. 
Howard’s results, obtained much higher up the Patuxent 
than we should be forced to go for feeders. His measure¬ 
ments were made, during a remarkably dry summer and 
may therefore be assumed as the minimum of water fur¬ 
nished by those rivers. He gives the following as the very 
lowest results obtained from numerous guagings. 


Main Patuxent 
North Patuxent 
Hammond’s Branch 
Saw Mill Branch, 
Piney Branch, 
Chandlers Branch, 


26,5 cubit feet per second 
1 * 2,0 
0,26 
0,34 
0,41 
0,68 


40,19 cubit feet p. secon d 
which according to his estimate leaves a surplus of 10 
cubit feet per second. It is believed that the numerous 
streams which we can avail oui selves of, will at least equal 
the expenditure on our greater length of feeder, and thus 
seems to us quite as much water as on the Maryland canal, 
but it must be borne in mind that the summit on that work 
crosses both rivers, and all the water which he has guaged 
may be brought on the summit, but this is not the case 
in the Annapolis canal, as the Little Patuxent cannot be 
brought into the summit without a most expensive feed¬ 
er and an acqueduct three fourths of a mile long, and then 
perhaps a deficiency would occur on the eastern section 
of the line. On the whole it will be better, if it, be not 
indispensable, to form very extensive and capacious re¬ 
servoirs in the bed of the main Patuxent by means of 
which the deficiency of the dry seasons may be amply 



9 


compensated by the excess in times of flood. The valley 
of ‘the Patuxent is very broad, being seldom less than 
three fourths of a mile wide, from the Governors bridge 
to within a mile of the rail road, where it becomes com¬ 
paratively narrow. A clam 25 feet high would overflow 
an area of nearly, or quite, 2 square miles, but of course 
the evaporation would be very great in a reservoir of such 
extended surface and so little depth. But if the Maryland 
canal should be constructed on the line located by Dr. 
Howard, which I think has been demonstrated to be the 
only practicable route from the Chesapeake and Ohio ca¬ 
nal to Baltimore, it may well be questioned if water 
enough could be obtained for the one under considera¬ 
tion; and indeed it is almost, if not quite certain that a 
sufficiency of water for that purpose cannot be supplied. 
If the canal to Baltimore should not be made, the supply 
of water will be abundant; and, expensive and formida¬ 
ble as this work may appear, l cannot entertain a doubt 
that the time is not remote, when the exigencies of trade 
will imperiously call for its execution. 

The fine and commodious harbor of Annapolis, Which 
is seldom closed with ice —its proximity to the Capes of 
Virginia, and general healthfulness of position, confer on 
this city most important advantages, and render her pe¬ 
culiarly adapted, as a terminus of the Chesapeake and 
Ohio Canal, to accommodate the immense business which 
it is believed that work will create. Annapolis harbour 
will admit vessels drawing 20 feet of water, and might 
conveniently afford shelter for all the shipping of tha 
city of New York. This port is easily defended against 
a hostile fleet, and will most likely be selected as the site 
for a naval academy, whenever Congress meets the wish¬ 
es of the country by legislating on that important and in¬ 
teresting subject 

It is propssed to commence the Potomac and Annapolis 
Canal in Georgetown, by tapping the Chesapeake and 
Ohio Canal above and near the bridge on Congtess street, 
at an elevation of 37 feet above tide; and then to cross. 
Congress and Jefferson streets obliquely, passing into 
Bridge street near the corner of Jefferson street, which 
it follows to Washington street, thence up Washington 
Street, and, crossing the lot on which the Unioti tstvefti 
2 


10 


stands, follows Dunbarton street to the eastern limits of 
Georgetown. The canal in Georgetown will be restrict¬ 
ed to 40 feet water line at the surface, and 38 feet at the 
bottom, and 6 feet depth; the sides to be revetted with 
stone, and the canal to be arched over in crossing or 
otherwise occupying the street. After crossing Rock 
Creek, it follows the low 7 ground in Washington city 
north of the President’s House and the Capitol, and 
crosses the rail road near the engine house. We were 
compelled to cross the rail road at this point, in order to 
obtain sufficient height above the rails for the arch of 
the aqueduct. This forces us to encounter a very formi¬ 
dable embankment, which might have been entirely 
avoided by following more nearly Dr. Howard’s line* 
which passes the Tiber much higher up. We endeavor¬ 
ed to pursue the same course, but soon found that it was 
inadmissible, for the reasons already given. It has been 
suggested that the line might be carried to the north of 
the rail road, and, taking advantage of the inclination of 
that road, pass under it at the first deep cut, and reach the 
Eastern Branch, to the north of Maj. Hickey’s, in a 
shorter distance than that w T hich we ran. Examinations 
were made, with a view to asceriain the practicability of 
this route, the results of which (shown in detail on the 
map) were not of a satisfactory character: yet, although 
the impression on my own mind was unfavorable, it well 
deserves a more cateful ana thorongh attention than we 
had leisure to bestew. 

Returning to the engine house: our line follows up a 
small tributary of the Tiber, and crosses Maryland ave¬ 
nue east of the Capitol, near the toll gate on the Balti¬ 
more turnpike, and soon passes into the drainage of the 
Eastern Branch. Dr. Howard dropped two locks, each 
of 9 feet lift, in the valley of the Eastern Branch, for the 
purpose of attaining better ground and lessening the ex¬ 
pense of crossing the valley of that stream at Bladens- 
burg: but, impressed with the importance of making this 
work as perfect as possible, I determined to keep up the 
level, and asceriain what would be the character of the 
ground we should encounter. The soil on the high level 
is unfavorable for our purpose, and the surface of the 
country much broken up with deep and wide ravines, as 
the profiles show. The line crosses the river at Bladens- 


11 


burg, at an elevation of 37 feet from the surface of the 
water: the width of the vallay is 3-4 of a mile, with an 
average depth of 15 feet. It then pursues the course 
of the Eastern Branch, above Calvert’s mill, to the 
mouth of a deep and long ravine, which drains into the 
river about a quarter of a mile below O’FerraPs mill.— 
It follows up this ravine to its head, and, after crossing 
a small ridge, reaches the head waters of the Collington 
branch of the Patuxent, and attains the summit level of the 
route at an elevation of 117 feet above tide, or 80 feet 
above the point of beginning in Georgetown: which 
height is overcome with 10 locks of 8 feet lift each. At 
“Good Luck, 1 ’the surface of the gr ound is 186 89 100 
feet above tide, and the cutting 73 89-100 feet. This 
ridge falls off rapidly to the Folly Branch, which also 
drains into the Collington, and, after reaching this stream, 
we have a ridge, near the residence of Mr. Geo. Duvall, 
equal in height (o “Good Luck,” intervening between 
the Folly and the “Horse Bend,” a direct tributary to the 
Patuxent. The summit level, 6 3-4 miles in length, ter 
minates in the valley of the Horse Bend Branch, and we 
then commenced locking down. Lines were run directly 
along the stream and on each bank, for the purpose of 
obtaining the best location. The north side furnishes the 
better ground, and connects most easily with the feeder; 
but in relation to the general route, the south line is per¬ 
haps the best: but, if it be adopted, an expensive aque¬ 
duct for the feeder must be built across the Horse Bend. 
Several lines were run, with the object of selecting the 
crossing place over the Patuxent river, which was at 
length established on the “White Marsh Estate,” imme¬ 
diately below the junction of the two rivers, and not far 
from the Beaver Dam, a branch of the Patuxent. Since 
the location was made, 1 propose, to modify this part of 
the line, by dropping another lock on the west bank of the 
river, which will diminish the height of the aqueduct to 
35 feet. Following up the Beaver Dam, we pass the 
ridge separating the Patuxent from South River at Mr Jo¬ 
seph Hopkins’, with a cut of 57 teet. The ground on 
the bank of South Run is exceedingly unfavorable, being 
so much cut up with broad and deep ravines as to render 
the line highly objectionable This will he easily under¬ 
stood by examining the profiles. The only practicable 


12 


plan that suggested itself to me was to construct a dam 60 
feet high across the valley near the head of South River. 
This will throw the water back on the level of the canal 
about 4 miles, forming a large lake, along the margin of 
which a tow path must be formed. This lake will al¬ 
ways be kept at the same level, by feeding from the little 
Patuxent in dry seasons, and wasting the water in time of 
floods by means of weirs. This will afford an abundance 
pf water for the rest ol the line, and furnish a large sur¬ 
plus for manufacturing purposes. The foundation of the 
dam must be established by piling and a grillage. Gra¬ 
vel may be obtained in the vicinity. 

If it were desired to terminate this canal on South 
River at deep water, all these difficulties might be avoid¬ 
ed by following down along the margin of the run and 
locking wherever the fall of the stream required it till a 
height of 8 or 10 feet above tide alone remained and then 
preserve this level till a proper terimus is reached. An 
independent canal might be constructed to South river 
without serious difficulty, but I was not authorised to 
make instrumental surveys for that purpose and my opin¬ 
ion is predicated on the experimental lines run in refe¬ 
rence to the Potomac and Annapolis canal and on a per¬ 
sonal reconnoissance of the country. For such a canal 
the route would diverge from,the former line at Bladens 
burg and cross the dividing ridge between Potomac and 
Patuxent rivers near Gov Sprigg’s, follow the Collington 
to a convenient point, then cross to the Patuxent in the 
neighbourhood of Col. YVootton’s and cioss that river near 
the Governor’s Bridge and take the most advantageous pass 
leading into South river and terminate the canal below the 
bridge. On this line the summit is so much lower than 
on the others that it is believed a reservoir might be made 
near the forks of the Patuxent to supyly it with water, 
but this line could not be assumed for a canal to Annapo¬ 
lis owing to the difficulties between South and Severn 
livers which would demand a higher level to overcome 
them. 

Above the proposed dam in South run, a short cut of 
31 feet on Snowden’s estate, will bring us into the North 
run, a formidable valley that must be crossed with an aque¬ 
duct; thence by another short passage and we enter the 
mouth of “Hog Neck*’ where another dam will be re- 


13 


quired similar to the one on South run, but not so. long; 
then a short cut of 30 feet near Dr. Gantt’s, and we pass 
into the valley of Broad Creek, which is very broken and 
the soil unfavorable for the retention of w^ter. Another 
dam or aqueduct will then he required across Broad Creek, 
and the route passes without any deep cut into the drain¬ 
age of the Severn. Two branches were presented on 
Carroll’s estate, the one leading into Spa creek, the other 
into College creek. The former furnishes the better water 
and forms a fine.safe and commodious basin for canal boats. 
The locks falling so near together in the immediate vicin- 
nity of Annapolis, will afford a great amount of water 
power for manufacturing purposes 

Lines were run across from the Patuxent 1o Severn 
river, and it was ascertained that a comparatively easy 
route might be obtained to Indian landing or to Round 
bay, which is a magnificent sheet of water forming one of 
the finest harbors in the United States, and would be well 
calculated for a naval station, if the bar at the mouth of 
Severn were sufficiently deepened, as it may be, to admit 
the larger class of national vessels. 

The difficulties interposed to the construction of a ca¬ 
nal along the Severn river, constitute an almost insuper¬ 
able objection to the canal route to Annapolis, from the 
proposed Maryland canal [to Baltimore.] Although it is a 
very feasible line from Savage factory 10 Indian landing, 
and not very objectionable to Round bay. To any one ac¬ 
quainted with the minute topography of the country be¬ 
tween Annapolis and head of Severn, these remarks will 
be very obvious. The ground is exceedingly broken by 
deep and broad ravines, having their sources in the di¬ 
viding ridge between South and Severn rivers. These 
ravines are very deep, high up towards their sources, and 
are broad with soft bottoms where they unite with Severn 
river. If it were attempted to carry the canal along the 
margin of the river on a low level, the crossing of so many 
creeks would prove enormously expensive, and great 
difficulty would be encountered in securing sufficient 
way, in times of floods, for the water discharged by their 
ravines, and if a higher level should be assumed, the 
ground is altogether unfavorable, being a constant succes¬ 
sion of high ridges and; broad deep valleys. 


14 


During the last summer, I visited the Morris canal for 
the purpose of examining the inclined planes on that work, 
and with the view of recommending them for this canal, 
if I found them applicable to the nature of the work.— 
They are most ingenious and admirable contrivances tor 
a small canal with boats of 25 or 30 tons burden, and are 
much more economical in their construction, attendance 
and the time required to pass a given rise or fall; but, as 
it regards the expenditure of water, I am satisfied that it. 
is greater than with locks of the dimension assumed on 
this canal, and I question if they can be applied to the 
transit of boats, of 75 or 80 tons burden. I feel much 
indebted to the President and Engineer of the Morris 
Canal Company, for their kindness in furnishing me de¬ 
tailed information in relation to that work, in reply to 
questions addressed to the President on the subject. 

In the report recently proposed by Mr. Fisk and my¬ 
self on the subject of a cross cut canal, from the Potomac 
to Baltimore the question of the proper dimensions of ca¬ 
nals, locks and boats, relatively to each other as it regards 
the capacity of a canal for trade was disccussed at consi¬ 
derable length, which renders it unnecessary for me to re¬ 
view the subject in this paper inasmuch as the remarks in 
that case are equally applicable to the present. The di¬ 
mensions l have assumed although not such as a strict ap¬ 
plication of well established principles would require, 
have been arranged with a view to reconcile the utility 
of the work with the strictest economy that the nature of 
the project would admit; and will generally fall but little 
short of the most desirable dimensions. They are indeed 
the same with those of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal 
above Harper’s Ferry. The transverse section is as fol¬ 
lows: Breadth at water line, 50 feet; at bottom, 32; depth 
of water, 6 feet; the tow path, 9 feet wide; guard banks, 
5 feet wide at top; the surfberms on surface of water, l 
foot wide each; the towing path and top of guard bank, 
2 feet above surface of water. In some localities, espe¬ 
cially in deep cuts and heavy embankments, the water 
surlace has been narrowed for the sake of economy. The 
locks have been taken at one hundred feet length and 15 
feet width, to correspond with the locks on the Chesa : 
peake and Ohio canal. They are all of 8 feet lift. No 
etqne suitable for locks or cut work of any kind has been 


discovered in the vicinity of our line; but rocks, that will 
answer a good purpose for rough range work, occur in 
various parts of the route, particularly in the vicinity of 
the Patuxent, where stone of that quality will be requir¬ 
ed for stone piers on which to place a wooden trunk for 
an aqueduct, by which means it is proposed to cross the 
Patuxent valley. 

In the following estimates, I have applied, whenever it 
was possible to do so, the prices actually paid at this time 
on the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, according to 

the circumstances of the case. I have endeavored to sim¬ 
plify the estimates by giving results, in many cases, ra¬ 
ther than the details. 



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RECAPITULATION. 


29 


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<» 


As the time rapidly approaches when the Chesapeake 
and Ohio Canal will be completed to Cumberland, great 
interest has been excited in relation to the probable reve- 
nue and commercial advantages to be derived from that 
magnificent woik. And although it has already cost large 
sums of money and will require more still, before it can 
be rendeied productive, the earty friends of the pro¬ 
ject who have never lost confidence in its ultimate success 
and whose untiring exertions have thus far sustained it, 
under the most discouraging circumstances, look forward 
with a just pride to the speedy verification of all their 
predictions, or rather of their calculations in its favor. 
—The interest created by this work, has led to the 
strictest investigations of* the various sources from 
whence the revenue must be derived, and the re¬ 
sults are of the most conclusive and satisfactory na¬ 
ture, leaving no roonrj for reasonable doubt, that the Che¬ 
sapeake and Ohio Canal which has received so much of 
thd fostering care of the State of Maryland, will amply 
repay in money, to that State, all the expenses incurred 
on its account, while by its attraction of capital from a 
distance (the influence of which is alresdy beneficially 
felt) and by its impulse to every species of industry, it 
will prove a fruitful source of wealth to her citizens. 

It is only within a few years past, that much attention 
has been bestowed on the domestic coal trade of the U. 
Slates* but it has recently become a most important in- 
tesrest, and bids fair in a comparatively short period of 
the future, to rival in extent even the coal trade of Great 
Britain, which is considered by many of her wisest states¬ 
men as one of the most essential elements of her national 
wealth and political power. In England and Wales with 
a population at the last census of less than 14.000,000, the 
annual consumption is estimated to exceed 30,000,000 of 
tons. In this country it has equalled a million of tons per 
annum, which is not sufficient to supply the demand, as is 

*Mr. Parker in his report to the Senate of Pennsylva* 
nia, says “the year 1820, may therefore be regarded as 
the era from which we aie to date the coal trade of Penn¬ 
sylvania, a trade which, during the past year 1833, has 
increased to nearly 600,000 tons, amounting in value to 
about $3,000,000.” In 1836 this trade was worth more 
than double that amount. 


\ 



t 


31 

shown by the high price paid for all that is brought to 
market. The consumption for 1836 exceeded that of the 
preceding year by 250,000 tons. This is owing to the 
facilities affoided by works of internal improvement, for 
the transportation of that article, which has been render¬ 
ed one of almost indispensable necessity, by the rapid dis¬ 
appearances of forests, and the application of coal to va¬ 
rious manufacturing purposes. The use of this fossil pro¬ 
duction is now almost entirely restricted to the lar^e cities 
and towns, but will doubtless, soon be extended to the 
country also, particularly to those regions where the land 
carriage will not be so very expensive as to preclude its 
introduction. Nearly the whole State of Maryland, ow¬ 
ing to her peculiar position, can be cheaply supplied with 
mineral coal. This fact alone is of the hrst importance, 
as it will bring into cultivation large quantities of valua¬ 
ble land, which have been from necessity, retained in for¬ 
ests for fuel, and thus greatly increase the wealth, re¬ 
sources and population of the State. It has been estimated 
that nearly one fourth of Maryland consists of forests, 
much of which is very rich but unproductive, and must 
remain so till coal is substituted in the place of wood for 
fuel. 

Tee Committee of the House of Representatives in their 
interesting and elaborate reports relative, to the Chesa¬ 
peake and Ohio Cana!, observe, “It is on the supply of 
mineral coal tl at the committee ehi* fly rely, in indulging 
the confident expectation of very great profit on the stock 
of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, sufficient 
space is not allowed, in a report already too far extended, 
to manifest all the grounds of this confidence. They are 
derived from a comparison of the well known quality of 
the Potomac (Cumberland)coal with that which is furnish¬ 
ed by the other rivers of the United States, from the com¬ 
parative facilities of reaching the banks which supply it 
with canal boats; and from a consideration of the various 
and multiplied uses to which it is applicable v 

If the District of Columbia, the States of Maryland and 
Virginia, the river Potomac, or the shores of the Chesa¬ 
peake Bay, shall hereafter rear a city of only secondary 
rank, or all their cities together shall be equivalent to but 
one such emporium of arts and commerce; if this empo¬ 
rium shall not surpass the city of Glasgow in Scotland, 



I 


32 

the ffiture profit accruing to the Chesapeake and Ohio ca¬ 
nal company from coa) aione, will reach the maximum in¬ 
come limited by their charter ” 

“Taking the average of three years ending the 31st of 
December 1834, exclusive of what came from the suburbt , 
1,690,653 tons were brought annually, to Glasgow, by the 
Monkland canal. The tonnage of this canal at 3 cents 
per bushel for its coal, would amount to $1,420,148 43 or 
nearly a million and a half of dollars’* In 1834, the 
population of Glasgow was about 150,000 which is not far 
from the present population of Baltimore and the District 
of Columbia. “Throughout Great Britain coal is foun t not 
on the sides of mountains as on the Potomac, but beneath 
and sometimes very far below the surface of the country 
as on Jam^s river, (near Richmond) in Virginia. It is 
consequently brought to the surface there, by the applica¬ 
tion of great power and at heavy cost. Some estimate of 
this advantage of the Potomac coal mines, even coal pits 
so circumstanced, may be formed from the fact that the 
bushel of coal now costs at the summit of the shafts sunk 
near the James’ river, considerably more than the com¬ 
puted expense of raising and transporting it to the markets 
of the Potomac exclusive of toll. Every branch of Amer¬ 
ican manufacture is destined hereafter to experience this 
advantage in a competition with great Britain, for the 
supply, not only of American consumption, but of that of 
all other nations. Great Britain owes her superiority, in 
manufactuies, eminently to her abundant mines of this use¬ 
ful mineral; and that nation which shall hereafter obtain 
it, on the cheapest terms, all other circumstances being 
alike, must surpass her in the mechanic arts, as she has 
hitherto done the rest of the world ” 

It has been stated by the President of the Chesapeake 
and Ohio Canal Company that, in addition to the other 
uses of anthracite and bituminous coal, the latter has been 
found so essential to the best preparation of the hydrate of 
lime, for hydraulic cement, that the officers of that com¬ 
pany in their contracts insisted ^n its use, in preference 
to wood at the manufactory near Sheppeids town. 

Within the last two years the Cumberland coal has been 

Sinclair’s Analysis of the statistical tfccountof Sco^ 
land. 



/ 


S3 

submitted to the most rigid analysis by several distinguish¬ 
ed chemists in the United states, who have unanimously 
pronounced it superior to any other coal of which they 
have any knowledge; and as this tact appears to be well 
ascertained and generally understood it is unnecessary to 
dwell longer on the subject, more especially as it has been 
treated at some length, in a report recently prepared by 
Mr. Fisk and myself, to be laid before your Excellency. 
I cannot however, resist making the following pertinent 
quotations from a report of the Phillipsburg and Juniata 
Rail Road Company to the stockholders. “The uses foi 
which bituminous coal is especially adapted are, for do¬ 
mestic purposes, the arts generally and more particularly 
for air furnaces, steam engines and smiths 1 work; for the 
production of hydrogen gas, and in the form oj coke for 
smt-lting of ores. The first of these, though the last in 
impor'anee, where manufactories are extensively carried 
on, will probably on the first establishment of the road, 
constitute a large proportion of the demand. As one ton 
of coal is fully equal in its effects to three cords of wood,* 
whilst it is a much safer and less trouble, some kind of 
fuel it is very obvious, that whenever fire wood costs more 
then one doiler and fifty cents per cord, and coal can be 
obtained for five dollars per ton, the latter will be pre¬ 
ferred for domestic purports.” 

“The decided advantages in the use of bituminous coal 
for the generation of steam may be comprised under two 
heads, safety and economy. To establish a claim to the 
first, it may be necessary to explain the cause, to which 
practical men, attribute nine-tent!is of the accidents which 
have happened of late years to steam boats on the waters 
of the United States. 

A reference to most of these cases will 9how, that they 
have generally occurred immediately after the boat lias 
left some landing place. The practice on arriving at the 
landing is (owing to the uncontrollable nature of a wood 
fire) to let oft’ steam, which is often done to such an ex- 

*A recent experiment made on board the King William 
steam packet from Picfon to England, exhibits the pro¬ 
portion as exceeding three cords of wood to one ton of 
bituminous coal, and the Ithaca and Oswego Rad Road 
Company rate four cords to the ton. 

5 


% 



9 


/ \ • < ' - 

34 

tent, (particularly on the western waters, where the boil¬ 
ers used are very small, with flues usually passing 
through them, still further reducing their capacity,) that 
too little water remains in the boilers to prevent the inor- 
'dinate action of fire upon them. In this siuation they be¬ 
come nearly red hot, and when the boat proceeds again 
on her passage, with the necessity of immediately replen¬ 
ishing them, the forcing pumps is set in operation, when 
the cold water injected, coming in contact with the red 
hot iron, the exoansion is so terrific, that it becomes a 
matter of wonder, not that so many , but so feta , accidents 
have occurred Now with bituminous coal, no danger, 
whatever, can be apprehended from this source. Five 
minutes before the arrival of the boat at the landing place, 
the firemen opens the doors of the furnace, and throws 
on the fire a quantity of small coal, (such only ought to 
be used for steam engines generally;) without stirring the 
fare. The cold air rushing between the now black mass 
and the boilers, will prevent accession of heat, and dur¬ 
ing the five minutes to elapse before the boat stops, the 
principal part of the steam previously generated, will have 
been used, and none whatever need be let off. When 
desirable to proceed, it is only necessary to stir the fire, 
close the doors and the boat immediately pursues her way, 
with well filled boilers, and without the slightest danger, 
its a proof of the correctness of this reasoning it may be 
asked, to what other cause is to be attributed the safety 
©f the English steam boats, which use bituminous coal ex¬ 
clusively, and on board of which we never hear of the 
< explosion of boilers, although accidents, occasioned by 
carelessness and running foul of each other, do sometimes 
©cem? As however one instance of an engine conducted 
©n this plan at home, is worth hundreds at a distance, the 
Board are happy to have it ir. their power to convey an in¬ 
vitation, on the part of tire proprietor ot the screw facto¬ 
ry at this place, to all practical men, to visit and examine 
personally the mode practised in the management of the 
steam engine, at which little cr no steam escapes, while 
the hands .ore at dinner, and dining the night, and at which 
the fire is never suffered to be extinguished, except when 
it becomes necessary for the purpose of cleaning the boil- 


J 



/ 




35 

% ' 

The economy in the use of bituminous coal for steam 
boats, will depend much upon the situation where it may 
be used; but let us suppose a case on the Hudson river, 
which is as remote from the min es as there is any proba- 
bilily of this coal being transported. The large boats on 
the Hudson consume, during a trip from New York to 
Albany, which occupies from ten to twelve hours, from 
fifty to sixty cords (short lengths) of pine wood, at an ave¬ 
rage of four dollars per cord, equal to thirty five cords, 
full measure of one hundred and twenty eight cubic feet, 
at o dollars per cord, one hundred and seventy five dot* 
lars. With well constructed fire places, eleven chaldrons 
of coal, would accomplish the same result, which at nine 
dollars per chaldron, at which it is belived it can be af¬ 
forded, is ninety nine dollars, or a saving of nearly one 
half, besides occupying only one fifth of the space, and 
thereby allowing so much more room for passengers, and 
diminishing in like ratio the cost of hauling &c. With 
such decided advantages in its favor for the generation of 
steam, it is only necessary for the facts to be promulgated, 
and the article furnished, in sufficient quantity, to ensure 
an immediate demand for the supply of steam engines of 
all descriptions. 

“For the production of hydrogen gas, for lighting 
towns, factories, and houses, large quantities of bitumi¬ 
nous coal (as the cheapest material from which can beob* 
tained) are used in England. In London it is stated that, 
up to 1830, one thousand miles of pipes, for the lighting 
the streets had been laid, and that the consumption of coal, 
for this purpose, was thirty-eght thousand chaldrons in 
that year. In Liverpool and Manchester, it is believed 
the consumption is much greater in proportion to the pop¬ 
ulation's in the former place, gas is more in use for light’ 
iug private houses, into which it is introduced by gas com¬ 
panies, who provide the apparatus, receiving their remu¬ 
neration according to the quantit y of gas, actually used 
which is determined by a gauge connected with the res¬ 
ervoir or gasometer; and in the latter place, the ordinary 
consumption is still further increased, by the enormous 
supplies requisite for the factories. But the use of gas is 
not confined to large towns. There are few places of the 
size of Burlington, that are not lighted by it; and a mem¬ 
ber of this Board remembers to have seen it employed for 



i 


m 


lighting a solitary turnpike gale, between Stockport and 
Macclesfield. The mode ol extracting the gas from bi¬ 
tuminous coal, is by a very simple process of distillation, 
in the course of which, tar ammoniacal liquor, are also 
disengaged, ihe re^idium in the retort being coke. The 
following estimate of the product ot one chaldron of coal, 
subjected to this process, is taken from page 18G of‘Coop¬ 
er on Gas Lights,’ to which the Board refer for a mass of 
interesting information on the subject, comprising the evi- 
deuce of many scientific and practical men, taken before 
a committee of ihe House of Commons. 

One chaldron of coal from twenty-five to twenty-eight 
cwt. or thirty-six bushels, produces from 1 I-4 to I h 
chaldrons of coke—from the 150 to 180 lbs. of tar, at 10 
lbs the gallon—from 2*20 to 240 lbs or 22 to 24 gallons of 
ammoniacal liquor, and about 10 500 cubit feet of gas.” 

In the very interesting and highly valuable report by a 
committee of the Senate of Penn, on the coal trade, it is 
stated ‘that the coal trade of Penn, now constitutes one of 
the main branches of her domestic industry. It has say 
the committee, raised up in our former barren and unin¬ 
habited districts, an intelligent and permanent population, 
and converted the mountains into theatres of busy life, 
and our hitherto waste and valueless land, into sites for 
flourishing and populous villages. Its benefits are not con¬ 
fined alone to those immediately engaged in the trade, but 
are becoming general and universal The mineral coals of 
Penn now exeit an influence on every other branch of 
trade, and affjrd the means of receiving and permanently 
supporting on this side of the Atlantic, all the mechanic 
arts and handycraft of the old world.’ 

When we look at the present consumption of coal in 
England and Wales and compare the number of thier pop¬ 
ulation with our own; and when we consider the rapid in¬ 
crease of demand for this article in the United Slates it 
may well he doubted, if all the works of inland naviga¬ 
tion at present completed—in course of construction or 
even projected, will be sufficient in half a century to sup¬ 
ply the wants ot the country. If all the canals referred 
to were arranged with doable locks, and they were used 
for no other purpose than the transportation of coal, they 
would not he able to furnish yearly, at farthest, more than 
half the pi%entconsumption in England and Wales. TW 


\ 


State of New York is widening and deepening her great 
canal and building a double set of locks; and the Penn, 
canal commissioners recommended an additional set of 
locks on their main line. The Schuylkill navigation com¬ 
pany are engaged in the construction of second locks, and 
there is every reason to believe that the Chesapeake and 
Ohio canal will be supplied with an extra set in the course 
of a few years after it is in operation from Cumberland to 
tide water. These facts, it is piesumed, will demon¬ 
strate the necessity for rendering the Chesapeake and 
Ohio canal as perfect as possible and for extending it to 
the Chesapeake bay in order that it may be used to its lull 
capacity by taking advantage of every favorable circum¬ 
stance which may tei.d to prolong the season of naviga¬ 
tion. 

Whenever that work shall be employed to the full ex¬ 
tent of its capacity, the District cities will be utterly in¬ 
capable of accommodating the trade* The transhipment 
and transportation ot so bulky an article as coal will re¬ 
quire a very large space and a great number of vessels; 
and but little delay should occur in shifting the loads or 
in cleaning the vessels, otherwise unnecessary expense 
will be incurred, and amount of tonnage much restrict¬ 
ed. Beside this it is well known that the navigation of 
the Potomac is tedious, difficult, and frequently hazard¬ 
ous. Its channel is serpentine, narrow and in places shal¬ 
low. The obstruction to the tree navigation of the upper 
waters of this river are explained in a report I had the 
honor to prepare for the Treasury Department in 1834. 
By this report it appears that there is a constant accumu¬ 
lation of alluvial matter between George town and the 
Arsenal, which fills up the channels aud changes their 
course; and also that the quantity of water that flows from 
above George town is annually diminishing in quantity. 
The main channel has been recently dredged out by the 
liberality of Congress, but a* was predicted, it has proved 
‘a mere temporary expedient* for the same lav\ s that pro¬ 
duced those alluvial deposites are still acting and will 
continue to act, unless modified by act, till the navigation 

♦The channel which had been deepened by dredging, 
was filled in by the floods of last Spring, to the depth of 
3 to 4 feet. , 



38 


is entirely destroyed. Where ships of great burden, eu 
gaged in foreign trade, formerly loaded and unloaded, and 
where a British Brig of war laid at anchor, there is not at 
this tune two feet water at low tide. 

The Potomac is in some years closed by the ice by the 
20 h of November, and has remained in that state till about 
tne middle of March St cannot therefore be relied on 
as certainly navigable for any time within that period, al¬ 
though it frequently happens that the river is not frozen 
for half that length of time. Yet what has once occurred 
may again take place, during any succeeding winter. Of 
course the transhipment of coal (the supply of which in 
market in order to secure the success of the trade, must 
he cerliin) must take place between the 15th of March 
and 15th of November each year; for if it should be de¬ 
layed beyond the latter time, to forward the necessary 
amount of fuel, the supply might be cut off, by a sudden 
interruption to the navigation. 

These remarks are not made with a view to underrate 
the importance of Georgetown, whose advantages of lo- 
ca! position, command of fuel, water power, and provi¬ 
sions are unquestionably great, and cannot fail to render 
her a rich and populous city. She will, if directed by a 
wise policy, become an important manufacturing town, 
and will be able to obtain all the necessary raw materials 
and subsistence for her inhabitants on the most reasonable 
terms, when the various works of intercommunication at 
present in progress of construction from the valley of the 
Potomac to the north, west, south, and southwest are 
completed. And she also will come in for her full share 
of the coal trade, and the commerce it is likely to create. 
But the difficulties of the navigation of the Potomac 
have been adverted to, for the sole purpose of showing 
the necessity which exists, that the Chesapeake and Ohio 
canal, in order that it may be used to its full capacity, 
should be extended to some point on the bav from whence 
uninterrupted access may, at all times, be had to the 
ocean. The interest of the stockholders, and more espe¬ 
cially of the State of Maryland, dictate the sound policy 
of making that great work capable of rendering the ut¬ 
most possible service to the community; and it is believed 
that the preceding observations, in relation to the coal 
trade alone, show that a demand may, before many years, 


S9 


he made on the canal beyond its physical capacity to satis*’ 
fy even with an extra sH of locks. 

When boats arrive from the west, at the District of 
Columbia, a single day’s journey, if the canal be; conti¬ 
nued, will suffice to bring them to a point on the Chesa¬ 
peake bay, fioin whence they can, without difficulty reach 
the ocean. By the Potomac; river a week is required to 
reach the capes, and vessels have been detained much 
longer in that river by unfavorable winds, owing to the 
crooked course ol the channel, which renders several 
winds necessary before a vessel can reach the open sea. 
By the proposed extension, coal can he freighted to New 
York, Boston, Charleston, and intermediate points, for a 
much less sum, than must be paid for the same service, 
from the District of Columbia, and of course an immedi¬ 
ate great increase of tonnage will be the consequence. 
Vessels not only pass the capes in much less time, but can 
he employed at almost any season of the year, and there 
will not, therefore be so great a pressure of business, du¬ 
ring the period that the river is open, and consequently a 
smaller number of vessels will be required. Much of 
the coal that will be brought down the canal, may be de¬ 
posited on the shores of the bay, and the surplus thus 
deposited, while the canal is in operation, will be trans¬ 
ported to the northern markets, during the winter, when 
other avenues are closed, and the cost of coal, at. the sea¬ 
son when combinations among the factors, are generally 
formed for purposes of extortion, will be regulated at a 
fair vaiue, and t>e sold at something like tire same price 
that it would have brought if disposed of in the preced¬ 
ing October. 

This will prove a great advantage in favor of the Ma¬ 
ryland coal fields over most other mines, the produce of 
which cannot be transported to market during the winter 
months Tire coal trade is calculated to attract and c?n* 
centrate the western trade at the debouche of the Chesa¬ 
peake and Ohio canal, by the great reduction it is likely 
to produce in the rates of freight. Vessels engaged in 
the transportation of coal to New York will find it to their 
interest to bring back freight at a diminished charge, ra¬ 
ther than return empty, and the same reasoning is appli¬ 
cable to boats returning to the mines, where merchandize 
intended for the west, will be transferred to the rail road 


/ 


40 

cars if (he canal should, unfortunately for the country be 
arrested in its course of Usefulness, and terminated at 
the town of Cumberland. 1 cannot however refrain from 
expressing the confident belief that that truly national 
work will, sooner or later, be continued on the original 
plan to the Ohio liver; and that tbe necessities of com¬ 
merce, and the interest of the great and growing west, 
will most likely, compel this resesult before the lapse of 
many years. 

A car< ful examination of the map of the United ►Mates 
and of the various works of internal communication in¬ 
tended to connect the Western with the Atlantic Slat* s, 
will show, that the natural, most feasible, and, in every 
point of view, most important line for that communica¬ 
tion passes through the State of Maryland by means of 
the Chesapeake anti Ohio Canal; and that il this work 
should be terminated at some favorable position on tbe 
Chesaperke bay, which would admit the concern ration at 
that point of meichandzie for tbe purpose ol taking ad¬ 
vantage of tbe early opening of the canal, which is full 
six weeks before the New York, and a month before the 
Peunsylvan canals are in navigable condition, tbe great 
advantage which this circumstance would confer on a ci¬ 
ty, which should possess in its own bosom the debouche 
of tbe Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, in relation to the wes¬ 
tern trade, is most apparent on the mere statement of the 
proposition that merchandize could be transported on that 
work to its destination, and perhaps sold by retail, before 
the more northern water communications are in navigable 
condition. The usual severity of the winters in New 
York and Pennsylvania, which renders the transportation 
of commodities on rail ways during the inclement sea 
sons, expensive, dilator y, and uncertain almost precludes 
the use of those roads for such purposes in the winter; 
and when canals are navigable, they possess snch decid¬ 
ed advantages over rail ways, that under similar circum¬ 
stances, there can he but little or no competition between 
them for the transit of trade. 

“Happily for Maryland, the political influence of a 
State is not entirely dependant upon its representation. 
Position is of vast importance. Natural conveniences of 
navigation are no less so. In both these respects, as well 
as in the facilities offered for internal improvement and 


i 


I 


41 

manufactures—Maryland has advantages unrivalled by 
any State in the Union, except New York, and might 
justly contend for the palm with that prosperous Stated to 
which she is mainly inferior in extent only. Our political 
position as a central key-stone to the Union—as partaking 
of the climate of both the sections, and able to resort 
to the pursuits of either or both—as having in her bosom, 
if not under her wings, the rapidly increasing capitol of 
the nation with its vast advantages as such—possessing an 
extent of coast, not indeed of sea coast, but of water 
course, superior for domestic conveniences to any sea 
coast, and larger in extent than that of any State in the 
Union—having a key of communication with the north, 
the northwest, and the west, not only equal, but fairly 
superior to that of New York itself, and which will cer¬ 
tainly be improved so soon as the people of the State are 
awakened to its vast advantages—possessing a capital ci¬ 
ty which has had a growth, as remarkable as that of any 
city of the world, and which now places her next to Phi¬ 
ladelphia for population—enjoying a commerce which 
ranks the State as the the third, and tonnage that elevates 
her as the second state in the Union, not in proportion, but 
in actual amount. In proportion to extent and population, 
Maryland has now a greater tonnage, and a greater com¬ 
merce than any State in the Union—what would it be if the 
avenues were open, which would connect her with the 
Mohawk, and the western counties of New York, with 
the vast chains of northern and northwestern lakes, with 
the Ohio, the Mississippi, the Missouri—avenues that 
wait only to be improved, and Maryland will truly be¬ 
come the centre of the Union ; in the most intimate of ail 
political connexions—that of commerce and profitable in¬ 
tercourse.” 

During the last summer, I was requested, while mak¬ 
ing the examinations fora branch canal from the Maryland 
canal to fAnuapolis, to collect, incidentally, whatever in¬ 
formation might be obtained in relation to a rail road con¬ 
nexion between Annapolis and some favorable point on the 
Baltimore and Washington rail way; I did not, however, 
feel authorized by the terms of the law, in compliance 
with which the surveys were executed to make any ex¬ 
aminations for that special purpose^ but as numerous 
6 


A 


/ 


42 

lines were run through the country embracing this pro¬ 
posed road, which will convey a good deal of information 
in regard to that project, I will make this subject a mat¬ 
ter of future communication to your excellency, when the 
maps now in course of preparation are finished: but for 
a clear and proper understanding of this question a difi.- 
nitive location will be necessery. 

In the survey and location of the Potomac and Annapo¬ 
lis canal, 1 have been most faithfully assisted by Messrs. 
Hagner, Coyle, and Dawson. The experimental lines 
were run under my directions, by the two former, and the 
location by the two latter gentlemen; Mr. Coyle having 
served during the whole tour. I am indebted to the taste 
and industry of this gentleman for the speedy execution 
of the profiles, and the rapid progress made towards the 
completion of the map. 

In presenting this report I beg leave to call the atten¬ 
tion of the Executive and the Legislature to the high 
importance of the subject to which it relates. 

I have the honor to be, 

Your Excellency’s ob’t serv’t, 

GEO. W. HUGHES, 

U, States Civil Engineer. 

















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